The relationship between factual knowledge of osteoporosis and the dietary practice of the young female college student

Problem: The purpose of this study was to establish whether a relationship existed between the factual knowledge of osteoporosis and the related dietary practices associated with the prevention of osteoporosis among young female college students.

Method: A sample totally 198 subjects from Andrews University, Lake Michigan College, and Southwestern Michigan College was mailed a questionnaire. Information on demographic, general nutrition and health, osteoporosis and its risk factors, feelings regarding age and disease, and a dietary frequency was collected. Mean, standard deviations, chi-square test, cross tabulation, analysis of variance, frequency analysis, and correlation analysis were performed on the data.

Results: This study indicated no evidence to support that a relationship exists between the level of factual knowledge a student has of osteoporosis and her related dietary practice. However, the students' own interpretation of their level of actual knowledge is related to their level of factual knowledge about osteoporosis. In addition, the interest a student displays in nutritional matters has no relation to the level of factual knowledge she has of osteoporosis.

In the initial analysis of dietary consumption of calcium, based on the guidelines of the American Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), only 2.6% of the students displayed an adequate daily intake of calcium-rich foods. This study also revealed the 81.6% of the subjects fell in the middle category of the level of factual knowledge of general nutrition and knowledge of osteoporosis.

Conclusions: As indicated in this study, the factual knowledge the young female college student has of osteoporosis is not related to her dietary practice to prevent osteoporosis. This may be an indication that more study is needed on osteoporosis and the causative effects. It is only by more research and perseverance that an answer for the prevention of osteoporosis may be found. Aloia (1989) cites areas for further research such as methods for detecting at-risk population, more precise recommendations in exercise, estrogen and diet, safer hormonal therapy, calcitonin therapy, public intervention, efficacy of drug treatment and new forms of therapy.

Availability:
Free
Publication Date:
1993
Author:
Zelda Felix-Mottley
Order Information:
Full-text not available online. ANDREWS UNIVERSITY LIBRARY G.S. Th. F316
Subjects:
Language:
English
Resource Type:
Unpublished Plans & Papers
Resource Objective:
Research
Level:
Tertiary-Lifelong
Audience:
Researcher
Religious Origin:
Seventh-day Adventist